I have had quite a few cell phones over the years. I usually get one of the cheaper ones so that in case something happens and it breaks I don’t have to spend a bunch of money to get a new one. And because they don’t cost a lot of money, I don’t worry too much about protecting it. I will sometimes toss it onto the counter, or it will fall out of my jacket pocket when I bend over to pick something up. Slowly, the screen will collect scratches, one here, one there, until after a while there are scratches covering the entire screen.
Well, a little while ago, I dropped my cell phone onto the floor and the whole screen cracked. So I went out and bought another phone to replace it. But for the first time, I bought a protective case and a thin glass screen protector to go over the screen. This glass protector just sticks on top of the screen, and is scratch resistant. There can be dust and dirt on the screen, and all I need to do is take a cloth and wipe it off. No scratches at all. And even if I somehow managed to put a scratch into that protective layer, I can just peel it off and the phone glass underneath is shiny smooth. It is like a shield for the phone.
A shield is a device or part that serves as a protective cover or barrier.
Soldiers for thousands of years have used shields in battle. Constructed of wood, leather, animal hide, and metal, shields would protect them from flying arrows, spears, and swords. It was a vital piece of equipment that they used for protection, along with their armor. Without a shield for protection, a soldier would be vulnerable to danger.
And that is what Paul wrote about in Ephesians 6.
“Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.
Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.
For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.
Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.
Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness;
And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace;
Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.
And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:” Ephesians 6:10-17
“The shield of faith.” We are soldiers in the Lord’s army, fighting and contending for the faith. (Jude 1:3) Not physical fighting, but spiritual (2 Corinthians 10:3-4), defending the faith of Christ. When “arrows” of temptation, doubt, or unbelief get thrown at us, we need to put up the shield of faith, and deflect those aside. Like an old Roman army that stood side by side, holding up a wall of shields that was nearly impervious to arrows, we need our faith to be rock solid and tight so that nothing can damage it.
When faced with times of difficulty and trial, Job endured and stayed strong. Look at all the things that happened to Job. He had his oxen and asses stolen, his servants killed by theives, fire came down from Heaven and burned up his sheep, more thieves stole his camels, and his sons and daughters perished when a great wind collapsed the house they were in. All of this happened to Job in a single day. But he didn’t lose his faith in God. He didn’t curse the Lord, and turn away from Him. He had nearly everything taken away from him, yet he still kept the faith.
Paul was hated and persecuted from his fellow Pharisees when he preached the gospel to them, so much that they sought to kill him to try to keep him from preaching to others. But his faith wasn’t shaken in the Lord. He didn’t stop. He remained strong, and continued on preaching.
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego had faith when they were faced with the decision of bowing down to worship a graven image or being thrown into a fiery furnace, they stood strong in their faith. They knew that if it was the Lord’s will that He could save them from harm, so they told King Nebuchadnezzar that they would not bow down before his image. And their faith protected them when they were cast into that furnace, and no harm came to them.
All of these examples are of faith. Whenever we are tempted, or tried, or persecuted for our faith, remember these examples of faith.
Faith is an extremely powerful thing. Hold up your shield, and don’t let it go.
In Christ,
Andrew
Teufer Lake King James Bible Church 